Podcast For Hire

Transcription is for SEO purposes only. To find out more about the city of La Crosse please visit their website www.cityoflacrosse.org to find out more about Podcast For Hire please visit PodcastForHire.com

This is Jason Gilman, the director, planning and development for the city of La Crosse and my role is basically to make sure that the plans that the city ratifies. That is, the Council adopts are implemented in those plans largely focused on ways that we can improve the city from a quality-of-life standpoint, but if you break it down into baby for digestible areas. You can think about economics, environmental conditions, social conditions and cultural conditions. Those are the pillars of most plan implementation gets done by, usually three different tools that municipal government has at its disposal. One would be regulation or deregulation second would be financial programs that would have some measure of return on the public's investment and then the third would be education and awareness of networking, so this would be things like making sure that were constantly reaching out to investors to nongovernmental organizations to neighborhood associations and keeping people colored with good information about city. The city's comprehensive plan is now 18 years old… Are you planning on doing to retire that plan and to start with a new one, were actually working on a plan update. Right now it's customary for a comprehensive plan to have about a 20 year shelf life. If we look at a snapshot of our last 20 we seem very significant changes from the great recession to lots of construction downtown La Crosse to rapidly aging population. The first phase is really to collect information about the city to update all the data is both primary and secondary data so the primary data would be survey information unique information from our citizens. Secondary data would be the stuff that's available on the web from demographics to the Department of workforce development and other sources and we really look at that data in defense and offense of categories for the defense. It would be decisions over the next decade to mitigate downside risk so you can think about some of the risks cities are facing like decaying infrastructure or mental health issues in the community or aging could be one although there's a positive side to aging to but we want to make sure we address the issues that could affect quality of life of our aging population. Climate action is another one, and several others in the offense of side is really to build capacity. How do we make a better city so that citizens have a better quality of life. Then they might elsewhere that can be everything from affordable housing and economic security for people to bolstering our neighborhood Association so people can be civic. We engaged in their city with good information and access to resources and other things like that Kissimmee did mention housing affordability, and I know that in the 28 years that I've owned a house on the cross that the housing market is kind of gone up all puppet away how how do we bring those prices back down so they can be more affordable for the average person to be home water. It's a real conundrum and in cities because were really facing the perfect storm. We have high levels of retention because of aging population. People are wanting to age in place and that's partly due to the fact that we don't have enough senior housing to meet demand, or enough of the variety that seniors are looking for like urban tall houses or condominiums think like that. The other part of that is construction inflation were facing unprecedented construction inflation or new construction for single-family homes is pushing $200 a square foot or more. And the problem manifests in other ways because he should be spending more than 30% of your debt income on housing related costs and if you're spending 50 or 60% it leaves you vulnerable to other problems with the stuff you basically just been talking about. Is there any hopes for maybe the old ShopKo's or Kmart or any of the other vacant properties that are out there to maybe have those become affordable. Yeah, absolutely. And that that's really what's exciting about some of these what we call greenfield sites which are really in transition from the old big box retail model to something more current. A lot of the success stories around the United States with regard doing adaptive reuse or retrofitting of those old retail sites are showing more compact retail Lake neighborhood retail which could be anything from coffee shops to insurance and fitness centers, and other things in the context of mixed-use of the year housing component and that housing component could be a combination of senior housing affordable housing market rate housing and it's usually vertical construction, which is yield better land utilization more tax base for the city but it also puts people closer to services so they can all live, work and play in the same area. Let me ask you this strength score La Crosse. I would say in our strengths here are tremendous employers that are in growth mode are great medical institutions are schools the fact that we have urban elementary schools which give people great quality-of-life neighborhoods. We have beautiful older housing stock. Even though some of it needs REIT rehabilitation. It's it's on the up ticking on terms of investment lot. Lots of strengths and then of course are natural firemen gets talked about all the time. With regard to homeport matters in your life have access to patron recreation and then external opportunities. I think there are all kinds of things like Viking cruise lines wanting to invest on the Mississippi River docking 7 to 12 times a season and having international visitors enjoy our city and shop at our doors downtown and help our local business owners can then then I would say energy innovation. We got some great minds in the city with train company in our universities and our power companies that are shifting gears to renewable energy and provide people with more cost-effective services that are more environmentally sound

https://www.hypnotistchrisjones.com/


Chris Jones is well known for his appearance on America’s Got Talent when he made the impossible happen: Known germaphobe Howie Mandel shook hands with Heidi, Howard, and Mel live. Since his first TV appearance, Chris has performed on shows like The Steve Harvey Show, Windy City Live, Good Day Chicago, Penn and Teller, Scam School, and the Adam Carolla Show.


This episode we start to talk about Chris Jones buying a house and not touching the water. Listen to where the conversation takes you.

Transcription is for SEO purposes only. To find out more about the city of La Crosse please visit their website www.cityoflacrosse.org to find out more about Podcast For Hire please visit PodcastForHire.com

Were always looking for new and innovative ways to try to tell the story of what goes on in city government and services and projects that were working on and I think this is a great opportunity to do that to have a monthly podcast with various departments and economic can highlight things that people don't know about that our city government. Mayor Tim Kabat why electing the mayor of city of La Crosse. It's really about our people here we have such an incredible community and I think there's a lot of folks that point out the natural beauty in the river and the bluffs in the Martian and just being able to get outside. Here is particularly special for me it's all about the people in the hospitality and just the friendliness and and what it means to live and work and play in the La Crosse area. I think you know when I hear stories all the time and and get to experience it firsthand of just how nice people are here and that just have so much to offer not only the outdoor recreation. We got a great downtown that has a lot of just wonderful restaurants and bars and music in your looking for that nightlife. It's it's here. You've got great employers send place to work, so they just all in all of course I'm perhaps a little bit biased, but I just happen to think that this is a wonderful community and it's because of the people that live here and work here that really make a huge difference there. Tim Kabat talking about the city of La Crosse was the vision for 2020s we got a number of exciting projects in the works. I think for us. It's all about focus on these essential services. So are our street repairs and working on our infrastructure and trying to get caught up with getting potholes fixed and in those types of things the public safety aspect were looking at, you know, additional opportunities for expanding our neighborhood policing program, which is been very successful and I'm hoping to be able to break ground on a new Northside fire station this year. I think that's in the works. So from that those essential services the streets and police and fire. I think we do that is good as anybody. But what really makes a community special is how we take care of our most vulnerable citizens. So working on things like our homeless challenges are affordable housing needs were part of the B alliance to heal, which is a multi partner group that's been working and will be working over the course the next couple years to really focus on improving our treatment for people that are experiencing substance abuse and mental health issues when were able to do those things and and then of course obviously beautiful parks in our libraries and just our quality of life when were able to do that then were really, I think exceeding our expectations of the community. The other projects like the La Crosse center in me. That's under construction. Now that's a very significant regional project that is going to mean a lot when it comes to concerts and events and conventions in bringing community together. So I look forward to 2020 think there's a lot of excellent things in the works I think so to just from hearing you talk about it and things I've seen on the do's and read in the paper as well. When it comes to being a newbie or somebody just moved La Crosse or just visited La Crosse for the first time. What are some of the things that you would definitely tell people that you have to see light think that again. If you're looking at getting outside so getting to Hickson forest and hiking the trails they are getting in the La Crosse River marsh having opportunities on the river that's what it means to live here in this community and have the natural resources that we do. But then it is really to kind of experience the things downtown amine Lake everybody's got their favorites is the mayor. All of them are my favorites. I can't just say I can't pick one, but I know it's the ice cream shop since the restaurants as the bars. I think you know we still have a number of of neighborhood taverns that are part of our culture. I think the things like the loggers games in the summertime. Any and all of those if I if I was new to La Crosse I that's what I would be looking to experience because it gives you kind of the sense of what it means to be part of this community. Being a La Crosse resident for the last 29 years myself. I didn't realize it there's 46 parks in the cross. Yeah, it's pretty it's pretty amazing for community. Again, our size and they really range a menu got large open spaces. You've got kind of small neighborhood parks. You got the trail connections and then everything in between and were really working hard to try to know, take care of those improvements, and sometimes there's your people wonder like what we should be spending all of the cities monies on roads and fixing nose and wiry spending money on parks while parks are definitely a part of this infrastructure as a community and our quality-of-life and were working hard to try to make sure that you know keeping them well-maintained and fixing them up when we need to.

https://www.hypnotistchrisjones.com/

To find out more about the Wisconsin Great River Road please check out the website www.WiGRR.com
find out more about at deanklinkenberg.com.

Bob: [He’s] the author of a couple really cool books – actually, a handful of really cool books – dealing with the upper Mississippi River and the Wisconsin Great River Road, as well as the entire Great River Road. Dean Klinkenberg [is] my guest this month on the Wisconsin Great River Road Podcast. Dean, I appreciate you spending some time with us to talk about the beauty that is the Wisconsin Great River Road.

Dean: Thanks for having me on. I love talking about the river.

Bob: Dean, you currently live on the Mississippi, in St. Louis, but you spent some time up in La Crosse, Wisconsin. What was the start of the love for Dean Klinkenberg and the mighty Mississippi River?

Dean: I blame it on La Crosse, mostly. I went to college there; I moved there in 1982 to start college. Being that close to the Mississippi, I took pretty good advantage of the opportunities to get outside and experience the river when I lived there. I had a couple favorite activities that I did often. I loved hiking around in the bluffs and going to places around Grandad Bluff that I wasn’t supposed to go to – of course, don’t do that [because] you’re not supposed to do that – and riding my bike down to the river to the favorite spots for me to sit and brood. I just loved going down to the river and watching it swirl and watching the animals and the birds. The first time I canoed on the Mississippi was also from La Crosse. For some reason, my friend and I started off by paddling upriver. We weren’t the brightest at that age, but we made some progress and got up to some old beach, then we stopped and swam and had a little lunch before we paddled back. It just left a big impression on me from those years in La Crosse.

Bob: It is a beautiful area. I moved here in 1992 thinking I’d be here a year or two, and here it is 27 years later and I’m still enjoying La Crosse, for sure. One of the books you wrote is called, “Small Town Pleasures,” and I’m assuming there’s probably some small-town pleasures here in Wisconsin.

Dean: There are a lot. It’s one of the things that I think sets the Wisconsin Great River Road apart from other areas. It’s mostly small communities. You have places like Fountain City and Alma. [They are] these small, little river towns that have done a great job of maintaining their river identities and staying really connected to the river. Because you have so many small communities, you have a lot of small-town businesses. You have a lot of businesses that are owned locally. I like patronizing those small, local businesses as much as I can because the money I spend tends to stay in those communities. And you’re not sacrificing the least bit of quality. These are all great places, so it’s fantastic. People are generally nice and making sure you have a good experience. It’s just great all around.

Bob: You’ve had the opportunity to travel the entire Great River Road multiple times, I’m assuming.

Dean: Multiple times. I was just thinking about that today. There may be 50 to 100 miles of pavement I haven’t driven yet. I’m kind of losing track of how many miles I’ve driven just along the Great River Road since I started doing it, but I know it’s over 125,000 miles.

Bob: You’re driving that much and spending that much time on the Mississippi. Do you have a favorite spot in Wisconsin on the Great River Road?

Dean: Where I am at the moment. Just wherever I am at that moment. It’s hard to pick a favorite spot. I will say that that stretch of the Great River Road from Prescott down to Sandy Hook is among my favorite drives anywhere. Picking a couple of favorite spots along there, it’s really hard because there are so many that I enjoy.

Bob: The other book that you wrote, “Road Tripping Along The Great River Road,” talk a little bit about that and some of the cool road trips that there are here on the Wisconsin Great River Road.

Dean: One of the reasons I started writing these books is I was discouraged to see people who had heard so much about the Mississippi and went out of their way to drive to the banks of the river, took a look at it, and then drove on somewhere else. I wanted to give people more of a context for what they’re seeing and help them understand why they needed to spend more time along the Mississippi. All my books spend a fair amount of time describing local history for each of the communities along the river, and then giving people different ideas of things that they can see and do while they’re there. I know people like to take day trips when they drive along the Great River Road and then they zip back up to the Twin Cities or Madison or wherever. You need some time to really get to know it well. The Mississippi begs you to slow down. To really get to know it well, you need to take your time and explore it slowly, spend some time in the communities, spend a couple nights here [and] a couple nights there. You can do weekend trips over portions of the Wisconsin Great River Road, particularly around Lake Pepin. The Wisconsin communities along Lake Pepin would be great for a weekend. I know people tend to rush through those. I’d like people to set aside two or three days to do that. Traveling and being along the Mississippi is what was making me happy.

Bob: It’s awesome when you can find something you love to do and make some money at it at the same time. You’ve written a bunch of books, which is really cool. You’ve written nonfiction as well as some fiction books. Tell me about how we can find out more information about you, Dean.

Dean: There are two websites that I maintain. Mississippitraveler.com is the site where I have travel information about places along the Mississippi. I also write fiction. I write mysteries that are set in places along the Mississippi. Two of them are in print: Rock Island Lines and Double Dealing in Dubuque. The third book, which should be out next year, is tentatively called “Letting Go in La Crosse.” That will be topical, sort of the Wisconsin Great River Road. Those you can find out more about at deanklinkenberg.com.

https://www.hypnotistchrisjones.com/

you met somebody famous named Darren Brown if you ask any magician who the back like performer. They will say without a doubt Darren Brown I was eking out like a schoolgirl. Yeah so what makes them so good. He's incredible. I mean it's it's hard to put in the words how good the show is all happens in your linker to like he tell you what is going to do anger like our and I'm ready and that he doesn't like. I don't know how he did that, for example, he says to put a banana on the stand and at some point a man in a gorilla gospel, out take it. I'm hoping most of you will not notice this and then sure enough, the bananas gone then it's got a second time and the third time you see the net the monkey anger like there is a gorilla, and it takes off its head and its him like he was just on stage. A lot of that is like psychology. I learned a lot of stuff in psych in psychology. Z is the art of the art of misperception or a redirection redirection method about the art of redirection. So maybe your talents will be regular do and you're looking for but then something else happens and look there's a squirrel look at the score where the banana go exactly. So that's pretty cool something so even a guy that's in magic that's in the magic that's in the comedy that is a performer was still taken back by with those guys doing oh yeah and I mean it, like I heard him. Chris rock and Kevin Hart report at Dave Chapelle standup show and they both look each other in there like our ships terrible comparative Dave Chapelle reaches goes up there. He talks in the higher you talk to God and their data delegate start when he was 14. Like he's had years and years of practice, but he also was the highest-paid entertainer one time. In turn, and turn it down and walked all walk away from everything because because he didn't want to do it anymore. I've gone down the YouTube rabbit hole researching why he quit undergoing words like you got away and have you seen a recent photo of Dave Chapelle. I have not even muscular guy. Now he he gained all his weight and he has all his muscle now and then Alexa would happen. He said well when you take care of yourself you you gain weight and II didn't know that you were supposed to look a certain way and not the real so yeah so you care of himself actually think I'm have a relationship with his children. I respect him a lot more now hello school know me ask you as you talk to rabbit holes because I think a lot of us get stuck going down rabbit holes on a very regular basis. I know that I was at the dentist today and is talking to the girl is working my teeth and were just talking about how we as I say always so pretty, yes, very, with Prudential Heights God is very pretty. If you have the prettiest person picking your ears like a little use if possible. I like a lot to tell me, always is the nicest person employed at the blind and beautiful too, but like hey did you have popcorn, like the answer had pop linked to inner-city life yeah, but we're talking about how as a society we did. We now it is were so bored with anything that were doing things we used to do regularly, and not think anything of like going to the grocery store standing in line. Now we pick up our phones are plain on our phones because we don't have the patience to sit through and ended do nothing for a few moments that's true which is which is really too bad. I mean I is I think that where that were all kind of going down rabbit holes just with that with that. I mean, how we times have you been standing in line at, you know, at the grocery store been board looked at something and then 25 minutes later you're standing up. You know, after you paid for your groceries waiting to get in your car because you're trying to figure out what how does this fit into the philosophy of life. Plus your life like you read Fahrenheit 451. I have not. Years ago I was pretty cool book. I think it's called, Fahrenheit 451 that the temperature at which paper and books burn and I have to look at my copy somewhere, but I predicted so much stuff about the future and people don't have time to talk to another. Yeah, Ray Bradberry, Fahrenheit 451 this is the 60th anniversary addiction. I'm holding my hands and I guess was first published in 51 copyright 1950 was risen, called firemen, but either way 1950 use for you pretty much stuff in the future. One thing he predicted his people would have seashells in their years and you wouldn't tell that they were talking to you or the person in their ear is a waterless seashells and those are just, you know that the pod you put in your ear the air, but pods whatever and that he's predicting that TD to be the size of your wall and three TDs put together. So you're surrounded by people. Let me ask you this Chris to think that some people coming up with, you know, things like that in the past helped to initiate that thought process to get that stuff started, as in the future, it is a really good question so as not predicting so is not predicting what is that you're encouraging yeah you're encouraging somebody who it maybe is a stronger thought process than you to come up with and do explore that is as a possibility along the Star Trek was talking about cell phones and gases like that, like a week totally could affect technology we can make start cell phones, Star Trek and big Tracy had a lot you could talk into that was a short-lived thing for you look so magical smart and talking into a shoe and you look at mean there is there's the amount of the amount of technology that was perhaps faked like the $6 million man, you know, things like that that all of a sudden now is more reality than anything else. You know the point interesting to see if that's what I was like like about conversations he Chris that I never know where they're going to go God so true. So, else to worry were you performing these days. How was Harvard Harbor was awesome. After the video, but it was so cool like you see Michelle about crossing everyone get criticized way more people you want you can handle harder got hypnotized by the mirrorlike I feel I'm not going to slow dance this person who that's totally cool but they were on different mental wavelength. Anything outside experience before like legitimately. Do you think that it has to mean good does that have to do with the smarts or does it have to do with the I'm afraid that somebody's going to see me acting like a fool and therefore it's going to corrupt my little it might be it might corrupt my political persuasion in the future Barack Obama was told Lee's smoking weed when he was in college and grad school at Harvard harbor law I think is more just, they are cut from a different cloth. What are we doing what we talk about what's was so what's the word what's the word what's the one word combining electric growth patients or patients. Growth will I'm sure. I'm guessing that the that patience is what something that Stacy is dealing with now because she's married. Do you know, and growth is what you're have a good bill because you're now married yeah so what what about patients she's taking me I'm learning you know if you can make steps towards doing something that's progress. Like today were finally trying to send out thank you cards for our wedding. I was in July. Haley should turn men because you know what there's been. We've been invited to weddings going to weddings going to baby showers and not God, thank you notes so I think about doing them now in November. July is only five months ago. You're ahead of the gang. I appreciate that. So work putting photos, running together and I was good at printer look today at Office Depot? I bark is every authors depot horrible your water at Office Depot got better about your life. No, never stapled I love I love Staples, Office Depot, despite no one wants to be here. This is a warehouse. So yes, again patients and growth patients and I think it's of that we all need to work on. Honestly patients you know what patience is something that we constantly have to you have to deal with it. I am horrible at patience. Even today I dry I told you earlier is that had a dentist appointment I was driving to my dentist appointment and we had a snowfall last night there was only about 1/2 an inch or and and so not much but everybody drives like an idiot. After so little old and the people going slow in the left lane under the speed limit, and there there matching with the person in the right lane kisses me off because I can't do anything. So for me, my patience was pushed and actually yelled at my house shall looking to buy into my windshield today because of the idiot that would move over as I posted that on Facebook in the summer. He said oh, are you the only professional driver out there that night and I'm like no I'm not the only professional driver out there and I'm not a professional driver, but I try to be a courteous driver important. You're right it is but I do need help and patience, as do I think a lot of people yeah another thing I had to learn is sometimes you people will give you their best but you expect more, but it is their best and that's hard for me. Sometimes he will disappoint you because they are literally doing their best, but it's in your mind not good enough. I know exactly what you're saying good I hope so I was like hope is coming up to two strong, and I'm sorry I'm I am doing the best that I can about 20. I was in the lobby of the apartment building today and this kid was showing his report card or front desk worker and by what she does at front desk out of the side hustle like she's good for Marty she does is to meet people and share her sweetness so she just adopts all the kids in the and the apartment she said to him you got a D in math. I'm going to give you some money for it is a and this be $10 but you can have his being that I need to get better baby rolling out real compassionate encouraging. She said y

To find out more about the Wisconsin Great River Road please check out the website www.WiGRR.com
Wisconsin DNR Website https://dnr.wi.gov/

Megan: We’re very fortunate in this area to have the natural resources we do with the Mississippi River here. We’ve got excellent fishing. We have fishing year-round. There’s always something. The hunting is great in this area. We’ve got really good deer hunting in this area. We’ve got really good duck and goose hunting. It’s a really cool area, not to mention that the scenery is pretty decent to look at as well.

Bob: Megan Jensen, a Wisconsin Conservation Warden with the Wisconsin DNR is my guest on the Wisconsin Great River Road Podcast. So, tell me about being safe when it comes to deer hunting season.

Megan: When we look at the deer hunting season, obviously we have the archery season and the gun season. [With] archery season, there’s usually not as many folks out in the woods, and the season is over a longer period of time. But [with] the gun deer season, usually we’re getting a more concentrated number of folks out in the woods, and they’re hunting with firearms. One of the biggest concerns is their safety. We do have the blaze orange or the blaze pink requirement for those hunters. Anyone who is hunting during a gun deer season has to wear at least 50 percent of the blaze orange or the blaze pink. And in all of our hunter education courses, we always talk about the acronym TABK. Those are the four primary rules of firearm safety. The first one is T, [which is] treat every firearm as if it’s loaded. The A is, always point your muzzle in a safe direction. B [is], be sure of your target and what’s beyond. The K is, keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.

Bob: That’s always some good advice right there. How is hunting along the Wisconsin Great River Road different from hunting in state or on the other side of the state?

Megan: As a warden, I’ve worked along the Mississippi River for my entire career. Over here along the Mississippi River, we’ve got really good hunting, and we’ve got a variety of hunting. Not only do we have really good deer hunting over in this area, a couple of our counties – Buffalo County and Trempealeau County – are really destination deer hunting counties for a lot of folks not just from within Wisconsin, but really from multiple states. I frequently do get calls from folks from other states asking about hunting opportunities on the public land in Trempealeau County just because this area is known for their nice-sized bucks and the plentiful deer herd. We are also along the Mississippi River Flyway for ducks and geese, so we have great waterfowl hunting here as well, which just really makes this a hunter’s paradise because there is a little bit of something for everyone. We also have good small game hunting and turkey hunting and other hunting activities. I think we’re very fortunate along the river here to have all the hunting activities that we do, and opportunities that we have.

Bob: Living along the Wisconsin Great River Road, of course we’ve got the opportunity to fish year-round with the Mississippi River being there. What kind of advice would you give to a fisherman?

Megan: The first piece of advice I give to anyone who is going out fishing or hunting is to make sure you take a peek at the regulations for that year. Things do change from year to year here, and it’s important for folks to know what the regulations are because at the end of the day, it’s up to the fisherman and the hunter to read what the regulations are for the body of water they’re going out on, and the state that they’re in. Here along the Mississippi, one of the biggest things I like to remind folks of is that there’s a state line along the Mississippi River that we share with Minnesota and Iowa there. If folks are fishing on the non-Wisconsin side of the river, they need to follow the regulations for the state for which they’re fishing in. For example, if someone is fishing in the La Crosse area on the Wisconsin side, they would follow Wisconsin regulations. If they’re fishing on the Minnesota side of the river, they would have to follow the regulations put out by Minnesota.

Bob: Megan, how do we find out more information about the Wisconsin DNR?

Megan: The Wisconsin DNR has an awesome website. Just about anything you want to know can be found on that website. Encourage folks to go online and just type in “wisconsindnr” [dnr.wi.gov] and take a look at our website. Another resource we have is a “Hunt Wild Wisconsin App.” It’s a free app that people can download on their smartphones. It’s a really good resource. It has an interactive map on there that has overlays of where the public land is so they know if it’s public land or private land where they’re at. They can also look up regulations for the different species. They can look up shooting hours, so that’s a really good resource.

To find out more about the Wisconsin Great River Road please check out the website www.WiGRR.com
Stockholm website: stockholmwisconsin.com

Stockholm Pies website: stockholmpieandgeneralstore.com

Alan: All along the Great River Road – in Stockholm, Pepin, Maiden Rock – fall is absolutely the most spectacular time of year to come here. It’s beautiful all year. But fall, because of the mix of hardwoods and these beautiful bluffs and the reflection on the water, and the way the road weaves along the shore of Lake Pepin, there is not a more beautiful fall destination

Bob: Where is Stockholm?

Alan: On the Mississippi River. We’re in an area we call ‘The West Coast of Wisconsin.’ Do you know where Red Wing, Minnesota is?

Bob: Yup.

Alan: We are 17 miles downriver from Red Wing on the Wisconsin side.

Bob: What are some of the fun things to do there?

Alan: Here, it’s a lot about the scenery, and it’s a lot about the shopping and the food. Stockholm is a town of 66 people, but there are about 15 little shops, galleries, boutiques, cafes, and of course our pie shop. It’s kind of like a movie set. The other little villages along the area are filled with all kinds of cool stuff and great restaurants and shops. Then there’s the bluffs and the river and the lake. It’s incredible.

Bob: Did you say 66 people?

Alan: Sixty-six people, yeah.

Bob: I couldn’t imagine just having 66 [people]. Is it a block long?

Alan: Basically, it’s a block wide and a block long. It’s two streets wide, and there’s one street that divides at the highway and the county road that goes out of town. [It’s] the smallest village in the smallest county in Wisconsin. And it’s become one of the top day trip destinations in the region.

Bob: What makes it a day trip destination, do you think?

Alan: The drive has a lot to do with it. It’s just a mind-blowingly beautiful drive along the bluffs and the river. I don’t remember what year it was – it was in 2012 or 2013, something like that – The Huffington Post did a big competition for the most beautiful drive in America. Our stretch beat out Highway 1 and the Kona Highway for the most beautiful drive in America.

Bob: Which part of the drive – the entire Wisconsin Great River Road?

Alan: It is all beautiful, but what’s considered the most scenic section is actually between Bay City, which is just outside of Red Wing, to Pepin. And literally, the most beautiful six miles are Maiden Rock to Stockholm.

Bob: Is that why you decided to move there?

Alan: Exactly. It started as a second home in the area, which is how a lot of people start because it’s the opposite direction of the traffic for second homes in the Twin Cities. And it is magnificently beautiful – it’s all the food options and everything else.

Bob: So how did you start the Stockholm Pie Company and General Store?

Alan: Well, the Stockholm Pie Company started almost 11 years ago now. My sister, who lived in Chicago, moved here. She had come to visit my spouse and I, and [she] fell in love with it, just like the rest of us around here. And lo and behold, it turned out that we had this little tiny space in the building that we had just bought where an art gallery was. We thought, what the heck? So we put in the kitchen, and it was supposed to be a little weekend gig for her. It didn’t last to the weekend gig very long. It soon expanded and expanded. It originally started in a space that was about 250 square feet, and it now encompasses about 3,000 square feet. It seats about 60. [There are] multiple production kitchens. We also have a second location in Red Wing. It caught on, is the gentlest way to put it. We were kind of discovered by the Road Food Guide, which then led us to Splendid Table and Gourmet Magazine. It just keeps going on and on from there.

Bob: What I think is great is you can seat 60 people in a town of 66.

Alan: Isn’t that amazing? And our performing arts center will hold 120, so how many places have a performing arts center with twice the capacity of the town?

Bob: I’m guessing Stockholm, Wisconsin, is probably the only place in the world that has that.

Alan: Probably.

Bob: What do you like best about living in a river town?

Alan: A lot of it has to do with the scenic element of it – the bluffs, the views. It is truly magical. There’s really nothing else like it the way we are situated – not just on the river, but where the river becomes Lake Pepin. It gets very wide here. It’s actually the widest natural spot on the Mississippi. It has created this environment of bluff and water that doesn’t exist anywhere else. And there is a whole series of little villages in Bay City, Maiden Rock, Stockholm, [and] Pepin. Tourism kind of took root in Stockholm, and it’s kind of spreading along the ‘West Coast of Wisconsin.’

Bob: Does Stockholm have a website?

Alan: It does: stockholmwisconsin.com

Bob: Does Stockholm Pies have a website?

Alan: It does: stockholmpieandgeneralstore.com

Great things are happening every day in La Crosse public schools. Hear first-
hand from teachers on the front lines about how the La Crosse Public Education Foundation is strengthening the community, one student at a time.

To make a donation please visit our website https://lacrosseeducationfoundation.org/

Jeanne Halderson is a 7th-grade language arts and social studies teacher at Longfellow Middle School.

Transcription is for seo purposes and is not 100% accurate.
Welcome to Goldstar educators, a podcast from the La Crosse public education foundation. Great things are happening every day lacrosse public schools hear first-hand from teachers that are on the front lines about how this nonprofit education foundation is strengthening our community, one student at a time that I never take me love seventh grade and I look back on my favorite year of my entire schooling came through college that great is still my favorite year to Jean Halderson is a Cooley pod. Teachers seventh grade teacher. By the way, teaches social studies and language arts at Longfellow middle school. I really don't think that the public knows all the things of the La Crosse public education foundation does to help out our students. There are so many things that that I know for me the foundation I weave my way of thinking if I got to be a better way to see something a person always involves money right because I needed some kind of cheerio I need some kind of experience and it wasn't everything that the regular school budget could pay for and sell because I'm one of those dreamer type teachers and I dream about what you I would write grants and there's someone out there that believe that there is something more creative and innovative to. That's why the foundation works and I'm guessing that most people don't know all of the amazing things that happened in our school district because of the foundation. Tell me about one of the grants you've written to you lately when I've been writing grants. I've been writing on, or all three. No school so that everybody benefits. One of the things that I wrote a grant for was green screens for the classrooms and for the library so that kids could take their iPads and use the green screen technology just like they do is you know the weatherman and they could transfer themselves to different countries they could pretend like they were different people and so it really fit every single on subject matter and so the foundation has provided green screens for all three schools. We have the green screen captains where the kids can put the whole green screen cast and I and you disappear gloves we have mass and really unique way for kids to show what they know in their learning about some kind of content. So when I went to school. What I would do is I would have to do a worksheet write the teacher give me a worksheet or textbook, and our kids are doing things that are creative and innovative when I find it you know a lot of people say why would you teach seventh grade their starting to get mouthy and all the things people say when you teach seventh grade, but if you teach seventh grade in a way that is created and exciting kids. I am to read and they get into their learning increase in don't even realize how much they're doing and that's what the green screens have done for our kids. It allowed them to share what they know in ways other than worksheets and in the process really learn more and become more engaged with each other what the random act of kindness that the La Crosse public education foundation does not. So I'm in addition to my role as a teacher, I am a volunteer with Rhonda Longfellow middle school food pantry and so we have so many kids with so many me and I think that's another hidden secret that not everybody knows about you. There is no we have kids that come to school and they don't have food. They don't have afterschool sacks. One of the things that we had been aside right away that middle school kids don't have is some of your basic necessities that many parents just think everyone should have the random acts of kindness we've been able to make sure that all of our kids have underwear all of our kids. All of Our Girls Have Undergarments and so Usually It's Something That Most People Just Assume That Everybody Has Underwear, but They Don't Know What We Do without the Reading Acts of Kindness. What I Love about the La Crosse Public Education Foundation Is Their Sole Mission Is to Make School Better for Kids in the Car As a Teacher Who Has Called upon the Foundation Many Many Times I Just Can't Think Them More and I Appreciate so Much That Their Mission Is to Help All Is Not What Is Cost Public Schools Is a Workable Cost of Public Education for the Foundations of Hands-On Private Fundraising to Provide Grants to Teachers and Money for Rent the Backs of Crime Is to Address Students the Green off the Coast with Self-Esteem and Academic Success. To Donate, Please Visit La Crosse Education Foundation.org That's La Crosse Education Foundation.Award the Goldstar Educators Podcast Is a Podcast for Hire.com Production

Great things are happening every day in La Crosse public schools. Hear first-
hand from teachers on the front lines about how the La Crosse Public Education Foundation is strengthening the community, one student at a time.

To make a donation please visit our website https://lacrosseeducationfoundation.org/

Transcription is for seo purposes and is not 100% accurate.
Carrie Wuensch-Harden is the Library Media Specialist (Librarian) and High Performance Learning Teacher at Hamilton-SOTA

Welcome to Goldstar educators podcast from the La Crosse public education foundation. Great things are happening every day lacrosse public schools hear first-hand from teachers that are on the front lines about how this nonprofit education foundation is strengthening our community, one student at a time when I get to my librarian Carrie Woods. Harden is a library media specialist. The librarian and high performance learning teacher at Hamilton soda care is been a frequent grant recipient with the La Crosse public education foundation. Carrie tell me about some of the things that you've done with the grant she received from the La Crosse public education foundation hundred 90 different grant in one half brained where we really grant washable ball and washable throwing things in Thailand felt their washed were reunited in the queue to get and I really think the why were we doing it and it's a great thing to have the kids eat their lunches which are phenomenal. By the way, and then instead of the landfill and in the garbage they put it like it when it's ready to have breakfast at Hamilton and had lunch at Hamilton underrates food is good for school lunch. We racking lunch ladies and actually worked with Shannon who is one of our main lines ladies on and she was so open and he was all about. What with our kids. What made you think about using a La Crosse public education foundation grant for that we support it with gloves we could put it within our community and his team to do a great job of talking about what is available and a form to fill out and said that baby is now and then I would look at the place and so what you tell about the random acts of kindness program usually goes through our community services team with administration. For that something where if we need we don't have to write up a grand or beg and plead we can just go to IKEA and say hey we had this need. How can you help me and they are still giving and caring just like our kids which is great because some kids just don't have what they need and then it may be shameful. But if we can just give it to them applies or she do it or you know there is great. What else do I need to know. You know that the cost of the education foundation has been a fantastic job of supporting our school that you need to know that because of that I really been able to change how I keep company with technology and is always something on the back burner for me that I'm like okay the money for that. But I can apply for a grant and maybe it could be in my future so I know that it's a possibility. If not, I know, I think that it's not something that can happen if the media that can happen in my mind and I like that yet, but that is not what is the cost public schools is a workable cost public education about the foundations of hands on five fundraising to provide grants to teachers and money for random acts of crime is to address students leave that create obstacles with self-esteem and academic success. To learn to donate please visit La Crosse education foundation.org that's La Crosse education foundation.award the Goldstar educators podcast is a podcast for hire.com production